Tips and Tricks to Avoid Student Loans
by seasaltmemories
Summary: In which Judal demonstrates his poor decision-making skills and Hakuryuu is left out of the loop


It was a wonder Judal even bothered to open the email. It was a miracle he read the contents themselves. And it was only through divine intervention he ended up replying to it. Granted the reply took a total of two seconds to write, but anything more would have probably prompted anyone who knew him, that Judal had been replaced with an alien space clone or something.

He was ready to forget all about the email if he didn't get a notification like a minute later.

 _Really, Judal, is that how you greet your former-foster mom?_

He replied with a picture of him flipping her the bird. However that didn't deter Gyokuen at all. She just kept the messages coming.

 _Please at least look at my-_

 _It won't be as bad as you think-_

 _We will compensate-_

However she had used up all his attention with that first message. Judal hadn't been in the best mood with the fact that his third year of college was starting up, and he still had no idea how he was going to finish his four years at this rate. But this bitch had come and made his day even worse.

 _I told you earlier, fuck off. I wouldn't be an orphan if it wasn't for you in the first place._ At this point he was ready to throw his phone away. However another miracle happened to take place when he read the reply to his last message.

 _Did you even read the message about me compensating you earlier?_

For the first time in his life, Judal was completely serious.

 _You're going to find the files on my birth parents?_ They were only strangers to him, but ever since he had learned he had been stolen from them as opposed to simply given up, they had become the biggest 'what if' in his life. _But then I wouldn't need whatever little proposition you have in store if you hadn't destroyed them in the first place._

 _Now's not the time to point about my flaws, nobody's perfect. You remember Hakuryuu, right?_ She attached a picture of a familiar black-haired boy with burn marks across the left side of his face. Memories of middle school started to creep up, but Judal tried to erase those horrifying days from his subconscious.

 _What about your kid?_

I _know he is like a brother to you, but could you marry him for at least four years? It's buried under a lot of text, but married couples receive a reduced tuition at Sindria U and a few little birds have told me that you would be benefited greatly from such a deal._

 _wtf_

 _Of course afterwords you could divorce, the Ren Family would handle all legal fees, and you could keep open relations with whoever you wanted. So please marry my son for that reduced tuition._

If Judal was a better person, he would have thought long and hard about his decision. This was nothing to joke around, especially since he hadn't exactly parted with Ryuu on the best terms. But if Judal had been a person with good decision-making skills, he wouldn't have been wondering if he could wear that t-shirt that had been lying next to the mold-covered bread one more day before washing it.

So as expected, he did something stupid.

 _lol sure_

* * *

A week later when he showed up to the airport with a bedazzled sign that read "Nerd," Judal realized Hakuryuu may not exactly know all the details about this crazy little plan.

He looked good, real good. With even more years between them and the fire, the burn marks seemed to heal, though never completely. He noticed he had a gained a prosthetic arm, but even someone like him realized now was not the time to ask about it.

"Hey Ren! You're the only nerd I see!" When Hakuryuu caught his glance, he looked like he had just seen a ghost. Though considering the last time they talked, he wouldn't be stupid for thinking so.

"Judal?" He made his way over to him, blue eyes wide with disbelief. "Judal Maveros?"

"I doubt any other one would have as bitching hair as me," He gave a devilish grin before slinging an arm around Hakuryuu's shoulder. "So you decided to join the hellhole that is Sindria U. We need to catch up!" He didn't know why he was acting so stupid and energetic, but he had lots of good memories of his time with the Ren Family, even if it all went to hell later. Not to mention Hakuryuu had turned out to be fine as hell. This weird arrangement might actually turn out decent.

"Wait a sec," The moment was ruined as Hakuryuu politely detached himself from him. "Who told you that I was enrolling here? I mean it's not that I mind seeing you again but-"

"Shit," He hated always being right. "So the Witch really did tell you nothing."

"Tell me what?"

"Eh I'll explain it later, Ryuu," He had just gotten his sweet, sweet reduced tuition. Couldn't let that slip away just yet. "Why don't I take you to the campus. We can chat along the way." Judal wanted to slap himself. He sounded like such a creep. If this was a bad horror movie or something, this was where he'd kidnap the innocent protagonist or something.

Yet despite all that, Hakuryuu didn't seem suspicious. In fact he smiled at him like they were stupid kids again. "Sounds like a plan, I guess. Beats being alone."

As Judal's heart performed back-flips, he realized this fake marriage thing might not be as easy as he had hoped it to be.

* * *

 **A.N. For judaryuu on tumblr, kinda flipped it around bc I saw this hilarious prompt, sorry it took a while, it was partly bc I was swamped with school and I have so much trouble writing**


End file.
